Catapult device



Feb. 7, 1961 E. H. HALvERsoN 2,970,839

CATAPULT DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 13, 1956 FIG 8 5f/mez? $4. Wnden QW!kwa/mm# U1,

2,970,839 Y u Y CATAPULT DEVICE LI' Emmett H. Halverson, 104 E.Claredon,

Prospect Heights, Ill.

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-1065) My present invention relates to catapultdevices, and more particularly to a Slingshot which is adapted to beheld in the hand for projecting arrows toward a desired target.Specifically, this application is a division of a prior application,Serial No. 613,730 and tiled October 3, 1956 now Patent Number2,876,760.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedSlingshot which can be used with relatively great accuracy in propellingan arrow toward a target.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedSlingshot for engaging an arrow near the tip end thereof to propel thearrow toward a target.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedarrow which is particularly adapted for use with slingshots.

Another object of the present inventoin is to provide a new and improvedrelatively short arrow which will maintain a relatively true course inits motion toward a target.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedarrow which includes means for reducing the penetration of the arrowinto a target.

Very briefly, the above and further objects are realized in accordancewith the present invention by providing a Slingshot which comprises abody portion having a pair of upwardly extending arms between which issecured a two-part elastic sling, a releasable latch being provided atthe center of the Sling for interconnecting the Itwo parts thereof. Anarrow to be propelled by this sling is provided with a flange near thetip end thereof and the two parts of thisk sling are latched togetherbetween this ange and the feathers at the tail end of the arrow. Wh'enthe arrow is then pulled back from the body to stretch .the sling, theflange on the arrow engages the latch and holds it in a latched positionwhile the sling is-being stretched and held taut. When the arrow isreleased, and the sling propels it between the arms, the latch iSreleased, and the sling separates to permit the tail end of the arrow topass freely of the sling without damage to the feathers and withoutinterference with the direction of travel of the arrow toward thetarget.

Further objects and advantages and a better understanding of the presentinvention may be had from the following detailed description taken withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my improved Slingshot and arrcw in anassembled condition ready for Shooting;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the releasable latch assembly employed inthe Slingshot of Fig. 1, showing the latch in a locked position;

Figs. 3 and 5 show the latch in a locked position as the sling is beingstretched by an arrow during tiring;

Fig. 4 shows the latch being released as the arrow is fired; i

Fig. 6 iS a plan view of an arrow embodying an alternative form of thepresent invention;

Fig. 7 is a view of the arrow of Fig. 6 taken along the line 7-7thereof; and I Fig. 8 Shows the arrow of Fig. 6 penetrating a-target.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, thereis shown a Slingshot 10 tol which an arrow 12 is attached for beingcatapulted thereof towards a target. The Slingshot 10 comprises a body14 having a depending handle portion 15 and a pair of upwardly extendingarms 17 and 18. A two-part elastic sling comprises a pair ofelasticbands 20 and 21 which are attached at their respective ends to the arms17 and 18 and are connected at their other respective ends to separableparts 23 and 24 of a latch assembly 25. The part 24, which is generallyU-Shaped, has the associated end of the band 21 attached to the biglitthereof by any suitable means and has off-turned ends 24a for holdingthe part 23, which is a latching pin, in engagement therewith when thebands 23 and 24 are held taut. In order to facilitate the use of thelatch 25 with Grecian type hunting arrows, such as the arrow V12.*, thecenter portions of the arms of the member 24 are provided with reversebends 24b to provide aligned notches in which the trailing edge of atriangular tip 27 on the arrow 12 may be positioned while the body 28 ofthe arrow extends rearwardly between the legs of the member 24.

The extremities of the arms 17 and 13 are provided with crossed slots 30and 31 so that the elastic bands 20 and 21 may be readily secured to thearms 17 and 18 by rst laying respective intermediate portions thereofinto the bottom of the grooves 31, wrapping the forwardly extendingportions of the bands 20 and 21 around the respective arms 17 and 18toward the opposite arm 17, 18, and then laying the remaining endportions in the grooves 30 over the portions of the bands 20 and 21which are at the bottom of the slots 31. In this manner, no knots orother holding devices need be provided on the elastic members 20 and 21and, as a result, they may readily be replaced when necessary.

Moreover, in order to insure that the bands 20 and 21 do not slip out ofthe arms 17 and 18, the slots 30 and 31 are considerably narrower thanthe thickness of the bands 20 and 21. Consequently, the bands 20 and 21must be stretched in order to place them into the slots.

With the sling attached to the body 14, in the manner illustrated inFig. 1, the Slingshot is particularly adapted for use by a right-handledperson who holds the slingshot 10 in his left hand and holds the arrow12 in his right hand. Therefore, in order to facilitate the holding ofthe Slingshot 10 while a high stretching force iS exerted on the slingby the force exerted on the arrow 12, the body 14 includes a thumb restportion 35 which iS asymmetrical with respect to the opposite Side ofthe body 14 so as to provide a thumb rest which is well removed from theline of iire. In addition, a 'flanged heel portion 35a is provided onthe opposite side of the handle from the portion 35 to counteract theforce exerted by the thumb and prevent the handle from twisting in thehand. Obviously, if the Slingshot is to be used by a left-handed person,the same body 14 is used but the elastic members 20 and 21 are attachedin the reverse direction So that they extend from the back of the body14 as viewed in Fig. 1.- Preferably, the. arms 17 and 18 are relativelywidely spaced and are of substantial length so that a relatively wide,deep opening is provided in the frame so that clearance for the arrowand bands is provided since the bands do not Separate from, the arrowuntil the head of the arrow approaches and passes between the arms 17and 18.

In using the Slingshot 10 to catapult the hunting arrow 12, the bodyportion 28 of the arrow is slipped Patented Feb. 7, 196i within thelatch 24 and the pin 23 is slipped over the ends 24a and held inposition until a slight tensile stress s exerted on the elastic members20 and` 21 to maintain the bands 2t! and 21, taut and to hold. the latch25 in a locked position. A knobular end portion 37 on the arrow 12 isthen grasped by the right hand and the arrow 12 is then pulled back withrespect to the Slingshot lil, which is held by means of the handle15`with'the thumb resting on the portion 35. Preferably, the knob 37 isstreamlined in shape so as to reduce the drag on the arrow 12 when it iscatapulted. The arrow is thus pulled back until the bands and 21 arestretched a suliicent amount to catapult the projectile a desireddistance to the target, and while the arrow 12 is pointed at the targetit is released by the right hand. When the arrow 12 is released, theelastic bands 20 and` 21 contract to pull the arrow between the arms 17and 18 and catapult it toward the target. As the arrow head 27 passesthrough the arms 17 and 18, the latch 25 releases, as illustrated inFig. 4, to-permit the feathers 38 on the arrow 12 to pass through theseparated parts of the Sling without damage and without catching thearrow 12 either to completely stop its movement toward the target or atleast to deflect it.

It has been found that the knob 37 in addition to facilitating thewithdrawing of the arrow 12 with respect to the Slingshot il) alsoimproves the flight of the arrow toward the target since it adds someWeight to the rear of the arrow and prevents wobble which has been foundto occur with short arrows not having the weighted tail end portion.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, in accordance with another aspect of thepresent invention, there is provided an arrow 46 which is particularlyadaptedfor use with the Slingshot 16. The arrow 49 has an elongated bodyportion 41, a bullet tip 42; attached to the forward end, a plurality offeathers 44 for providing the necessary vanes, and a streamlinedknobular end portion 46. As shown, the arrow 4t) is provided with anannular ange 47 just aft of the tip 42 for providing a forward stopagainst which a washer 43 abuts during the catapulting of the arrow 4t).The washer 48 provides a means for engaging the arms of the member 24 tohold the latch 2S in a latched condition during shooting as well asproviding means for propelling the arrow 40 toward the target when thearrow 46 is released and the sling contracts.

The arrows which are used in connection with my improved Slingshot arerelatively short as compared with the usual arrows used withconventional bows, having an overall length of only a few inches so thatif they are red from close range into a target damage might result tothe feathers 44 which are positioned only a short distance back of thetip 42. Therefore, for the purpose of preventing this damage as well asto facilitate removal of the arrow 4t) from the target, a ange 5l) isprovided iwi", t.. L

on the body 41 of the arrow a short distance forward of the feathers 44and the washer 48 is slidable along the body 41. Preferably, affrictiont is provided between the washer 48 and the body 41 so that in order toslide the washer 48 along the body 41 either a true axial force must beapplied thereto or a considerably larger non-axial force must beapplied. As a result, the washer 48 acts to slow down the penetration ofthe arrow 40 into a target'52 as the washer slides back along the body41 and when the washer 48 reaches the ange 56 further penetration of thearrow 40 is prevented. After the arrow is removed from the target thewasher 48 may be easily moved forward against the flange. 47 by applyinga relatively small axial force thereon.

if desired, the arrow tips of Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, may be replacedby a rubber suction cup head and the latch member 24 may engage the rearend of the suction cup or, in the alternative, a separate ange may beprovided adjacent the head of the arrow which is engageablewith thelatch 24.

It may thus be seen that the present'invention'provides a new andimproved combination Slingshot and arrow `which may be used for targetshooting or for hunting vby Letters Patent of the United States is:`

An arrow for use in a Slingshot, comprising a shaft,l a sharp head onone end of said shaft, a plurality'of vanes on the other end of saidshaft, a first retaining ring secured to said shaft adjacent saidsharp'head, a second. retaining ring secured to said shaft intermediatesaid irst ring and said vane, a retarding collar positioned on saidshaft between said rst yand second retaining rings, said collar having asubstantially greater cross sectional area than said first-ring andhaving substantial frictional engagement with said shaft so that aysubstantial force is required to move said collar between said first andlsecond rin gs as the arrow enters the target, thereby to prevent deeppenetration of the arrow into the target and damage to said vanes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS-2,135,414 Shores Nov. l, 193.8A 2.620.190 Bean Dec. 2, 19521 2 691.973Hutson Oct. 19; 1954 2,796,691 Norris J une 25,119.57v

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